Iowa City police say man choked out elderly man at VA hospital

Victim required surgery to treat injuries

IOWA CITY  An Illinois man is accused of putting an elderly man in a choke hold at an Iowa City hospital last week.

According to Iowa City police criminal complaints, while at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Iowa City on Aug. 14, 29-year-old Kyle P. Medinger, of Moline, attacked an elderly man. Police said Medinger put the man in what one witness described as a mixed martial arts-style choke hold. Three people had to pull Medinger off the man, police said.

The man suffered injuries that required surgical repair, including multiple staples in his head. The man also bit through his lip during the assault, police said.

Medinger has been arrested and faces one count of willful injury causing serious injury, a Class C felony. Class C felonies are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.